Aiming to get their top-two ambitions back on track following successive draws, Bolton Wanderers will welcome Oxford United to the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Tuesday night in League One.
Wanderers only managed a point at the home of Exeter City on Saturday afternoon, whilst the U's were able to narrowly overcome Cheltenham Town.
Match preview
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After a comfortable 2-0 victory at the Toughsheet Community Stadium against Cambridge United on March 2, Bolton have dropped four points and vital ground in the top-two race during away trips to Barnsley and Exeter over the past week, leaving them behind in pursuit of automatic promotion.
Paris Maghoma handed Wanderers a first-half lead at St James Park before a brilliant brace from Grecians youngster Sonny Cox fired them into a lead, but it was the visitors who had the last laugh in the 87th minute, when centre-back Eoin Toal managed to net a late equaliser.
Having won just one of the last five League One matches since the end of February, Ian Evatt's side have dropped to third in the League One standings, now sitting a single point behind second-placed Derby County, who are enjoying a decent run of form since the turn of the month.
Since making the permanent switch from Accrington Stanley to Bolton in December 2021, Dion Charles has cemented himself as a fans' favourite at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, netting a team-leading 13 goals in the third tier so far in 2023-24.
Oxford brought a vital end to a worrying four-game winless streak in League One on Saturday afternoon at the Kassam Stadium, beating relegation-threatened Cheltenham, although it appeared as if the hosts would have to settle for a share of the spoils until the dying stages.
Josh Murphy fired the U's into a half-time lead in the concluding moments of the first period before Will Ferry netted an equaliser for the Robins in the second period, but the hosts came up with a crucial moment to secure maximum points, with Gregory Leigh netting his sixth of the league term from left-back.
Having collected just one win from their last five league contests, Des Buckingham's side have dropped out of the top six as the season approaches its business end, although Tuesday's visitors are only one point behind sixth-placed Stevenage ahead of a midweek round of fixtures.
A positive characteristic of Buckingham's Oxford troops is that they are able to score goals from all over the pitch, with Mark Harris and midfielder Cameron Brannagan leading the way with nine league strikes each, whilst Tyler Goodrham and Ruben Rodrigues are close behind with eight and seven goals respectively.
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Bolton are set to be without the services of striker Victor Adeboyejo on Tuesday night, with the Nigerian being forced off after just five minutes on the weekend.
Former Wolverhampton Wanderers target man Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is the prime candidate to replace the 26-year-old in the XI, potentially partnering Aaron Collins in attack.
After providing an assist last time out, centre-back Jack Iredale will keep his place in the Wanderers backline alongside Ricardo Santos and goalscorer Toal.
Oxford remain without eight-goal winger Goodrham due to a calf injury, although it is hope that he can feature before the end of the month.
That absence means that Owen Dale should have a sustained run in the U's XI, but the likes of Will Goodwin and Billy Bodin are pushing for starts.
Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Coleman; Toal, Santos, Iredale; Jones, Sheehan, Thomason, Maghoma, Williams; Bodvarsson, Collins
Oxford United possible starting lineup:
Cumming; Stevens, Moore, Brown, Leigh; McGuane, Brannagan, Dale, Rodrigues, Murphy; Harris
We say: Bolton Wanderers 3-1 Oxford United
Bolton are back at their home fortress on Tuesday night and will be confident of breaking into the top two with all three points against Oxford.
The U's edged past a struggling Cheltenham side on the weekend, but we feel that Buckingham's men will not be able to repeat the trick in this one.
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Carter White
